10:08pm: I hear people talk about it all the time: button, button, button, button. Did I mention the button? Everybody preaches the importance of acting in position, and how acting last distinctly gives you an advantage in poker. As a result, according to most you should always take the initiative and put pressure on your opponent when you’re on the button, especially in heads up situations.

Is it really that important? It depends on your playing style — everyone is different. Some people feel in position when they’re in position, and some people feel like they’re in position when they’re actually out of position. For an example of how the button can be used to your advantage, look no further than the semi-bluff raise on the flop with the intention of getting a free card on the turn. I would venture to say that 80-85% of the time, when you raise the flop on the button in a heads up match your opponent will check it to you on the turn, leaving it completely up to you to take the free card on the turn. However, this only works when used in moderation, as your opponent will catch on a good portion of the time. One of the advantages of acting out of position is that when you lead out into an opponent who has raised pre flop, a lot of people freeze up in that kind of situation, and misplay their hand.

So which do I prefer? To be honest, both. I always feel like I can outplay my opponent from any position, and feel equally as comfortable being first to act as I do when I’m on the button. If my opponent is aggressive and I have a strong hand pre flop, I would much prefer the button. However, whenever my hand is strong post flop I actually prefer to be out of position. For example, let’s say you’re playing against an extremely aggressive opponent and you’ve been dealt pocket aces. In this situation with this kind of hand, being on the button enables me to limp pre flop knowing that I’m probably going to get a raise out of my opponent. How you play the hand from there is completely up to you, but the important thing is that most opponents don’t recognize that you’ve got a hand at this point and will continue to misplay their hand on every street. However, if you flop a set of deuces against an aggressive opponent, odds are they are going to bet if you check it to them, allowing you to extract even more value out of your hand.

So to that end, I say it’s completely a matter of taste and playing style to determine how much stock you should put into all the hype about how to play the button. Like I said, everyone is different and you’ve got to recognize what position makes you more comfortable in these key situations. Personally, I think the button is slightly overrated, as there are no “magic bullets” in poker.